Sports News in Brief
Mai for Samoa A
Former Samoan sevens star Uale Mai is expected to be named in the Samoa A team to face the Fiji Warriors next Friday. Mai, who is missing from the Samoa sevens team for this weekends Gold Coast 7s in Australia played for Samoa A against Tonga A in Nukualofa on Thursday. Another former Samoa 7s player Rupena Leavasa is also included in the Samoa A team which is being coached by former Samoa fifteens legend Brian Lima. Former Samoa 7s coach Stephen Betham is also with the Samoa A team in Tonga as a technical adviser.
Volleyball meet
The newly-formed Cuvu Volleyball Association kicks off its opening round of competition in Sigatoka today. The association hosted a knockout competition last weekend and will start its new competition at the Cuvu College hard courts today. Nine men's and three women's teams had confirmed participation in first round. The nine men's teams have been drawn into two competitions- the Premier and Senior A divisions. Cuvu official Jerry Cakau said they still welcomed new teams that wanted to join their competition.
Coroner's report
A coroner's report has confirmed that the late former Lautoka rugby player Eroni Ravaga drowned after suffering an epileptic fit last April. Ravaga was swimming with friends at Akitio beach in Wairarapa in New Zealand when he experienced an attack. The 22-year-old former age-group and national sevens squad member disappeared after he was swept out to the open sea and search by fellow rugby players and friends were unsuccessful. Ravaga was playing rugby for the Puketoi rugby club when he went missing. Coroner Christopher Devonport said the Fijian national drowned after suffering an epileptic fit. The talented rugby player was diagnosed with epilepsy while he was in Fiji and four days before his disappearance Ravaga suffered a head injury playing rugby at Eketahuna, but remained on the field for the last 15 minutes of the game.
Special function
THE Lautoka golf team was hosted to a special function at the golf house during the Fiji Day celebrations last Wednesday. The team was hosted by sponsors Islands Electric, coinciding with the awarding of trophies and prizes for the 2011 club championship. During the Cleveland/Srixon-sponsored club championship qualifying rounds earlier during the day, club captain Suren Pillay took out the overall gross title with an impressive 72 and Manual Ajay won the overall nett title on 67. Moh'd Shariff ended Raymond Singh's reign in the A-grade on countback. Shariff, Singh and Prem Chand were all tied on 70. Today the club is all geared for the Tobina Electrical Components of Australia sponsored 18 holes stroke event.